Gedeo During the Italian Period, the Boeti Wote Plane Incident and the Michelle Peasant Uprising (1935-1960)

Abstract

The conquest of the Gedeo of Southern Ethiopia by Menelik's forces in 1895, along with the subsequent domination by northerners, led to a series of socio-political and economic crises in Gedeo land. This situation ultimately led to the Michele peasant rebellion of the 1960s, although it was briefly interrupted by Italian occupation. Even after Ethiopia's liberation in 1941, the Italian influence remains strong in Gedeo despite its brief presence. This study revealed that the Gedeo people enjoyed greater freedom during the brief Italian occupation from 1935 to 1941 than they experienced under the long imperial rule. This research also discovered an airplane incident in the Gedeo zone in 1941 that has not been mentioned in any previous studies. The incident happened when the Dakota aircraft found in a place called Boeti Wote, which is today one of the village kebeles in Yirgachafe woreda. It was unexpected to see an airplane at the aforementioned location without making any noise or flying in the immediate liberation time in 1941. In the post liberation period the Gedeo people suffered that led to the Michelle peasant rebellion of 19 60s. In General, the discussions in this article have shown that the Gedeo people experienced multiple changes since 1895. This research also identified that, of all the consequences of incorporation, land alienation had the greatest impact on the lives of the Gedeo people, who were inextricably linked to their land and environment. Therefore, although the struggle was slow and chaotic, the people responded to land alienation and other forms of exploitation in a variety of ways from the beginning of incorporation. This trend remained unchanged until the Italians entered the Gedeo land in 1935, where the peasants enjoyed relative freedom. The Italian period was brief but had a significant impact, characterized by more changes than continuities in their ruling approach and administration. Consequently, Michele's peasant uprising, though opposition started in the 1920s after the land measurement program was announced, but interrupted by Italians but resumed after liberation and culminated in the 1960s. The paper is mostly based on oral sources, such as folklore and interviews, complemented with some written materials. Regarding the plane incident, since this is the first research on the event, it solely used photographs of the remaining portion of the aircraft, oral informants including eyewitnesses, and group discussion. In General this study mainly employed historical methods to gather key primary and secondary sources on the topic. It also included an anthropological approach through group discussions to get extensive clarity on the issue.

Keywords: Gedeo people, Italy, Plane Incident, land alienation, peasant uprising

DOI: 10.7176/HRL/56-02

Publication date: July 30^th 2025